Thanks for the clarification, Janet.
I went back and re-read my paragraph, and the timeline does jump. Booker came back from training from that awful womans barn in January and was a wreck. We promptly sent him to Dan who has been working with him, and we pulled him from Dan's program on July 31st.
Yes, I have been working natural horsemanship for quite some time, not only just for preparation for Booker, but with all of my horses that I work with. Its quickly morphing a lot of the training styles you currently see in the morgan world. Its a wonderful thing to see it being successfully implemented in the show ring--one thing about Morgan people that I love so much is that we're not really in it for the money (because there isn't any to be had
). We're in it because we love our horse, so this was an easily accepted change that we're seeing more of, which is such a good thing! Not to say there aren't a few bad apples, of course. Every breed has its cowboys (and girls) that think the old way is the only way.
When I was showing Bird (Troika's Nightengale) we worked entirely with leg pressure responses and my positioning in the saddle as a constant communication. By the time winter had set in, we were able to do pattern work with my hands tied behind my back and the reins free. We were in constant communication, and it was an experience that I hope to one day have with Booker, its far more enriching when you're working with the horse vs. making them do something.
I went back and re-read my paragraph, and the timeline does jump. Booker came back from training from that awful womans barn in January and was a wreck. We promptly sent him to Dan who has been working with him, and we pulled him from Dan's program on July 31st.
Yes, I have been working natural horsemanship for quite some time, not only just for preparation for Booker, but with all of my horses that I work with. Its quickly morphing a lot of the training styles you currently see in the morgan world. Its a wonderful thing to see it being successfully implemented in the show ring--one thing about Morgan people that I love so much is that we're not really in it for the money (because there isn't any to be had
). We're in it because we love our horse, so this was an easily accepted change that we're seeing more of, which is such a good thing! Not to say there aren't a few bad apples, of course. Every breed has its cowboys (and girls) that think the old way is the only way. When I was showing Bird (Troika's Nightengale) we worked entirely with leg pressure responses and my positioning in the saddle as a constant communication. By the time winter had set in, we were able to do pattern work with my hands tied behind my back and the reins free. We were in constant communication, and it was an experience that I hope to one day have with Booker, its far more enriching when you're working with the horse vs. making them do something.
Natalie, my post was not meant to attack at all. I'm sorry you took it that way. What I got from your first post in this thread is that you were upset that a trainer ruined your horse for the show ring. You spent an entire paragraph talking about your high hopes for the ring, and 'ruined' was the word you used.
I did not say that 'you' only placed value on what he could do in the ring. I said 'people'. And you didn't mention that he has been with a natural horsemanship trainer; you only focused on the 'tragic' and negative part of what happened. I've been in the horse world all my life, and some of the things that are done to ready a horse for the ring make me sick to my stomach. I would rather have only trail horses for the rest of my life, or just show at the little local shows for fun. I hope your Booker is able to return to his former state, but if you can have a relationship with him that has no fear in it and just enjoy being with him then I would say that you have been successful. I hope that you have been working with the natural horsemanship trainer as well...it does a person a world of good, too
